July 21, 2011

Mosquito-Testing Season Arrives

The state’s Mosquito Management Program started again on May 31. Mosquitoes are being tested for West Nile virus and eastern equine encephalitis virus.

Dr. Theodore Andreadis, the state’s chief medical entomologist at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, stated in a press release, "We are currently experiencing unusually high numbers of mosquitoes throughout the state due to last winter’s snowfall and excessive spring rains. With additional flooding and arrival of warm weather we expect this trend to continue for several weeks."

The Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station maintains 91 mosquito-trapping stations in 72 towns. You can follow the latest mosquito information on the Mosquito Management Program’s website.

Last year, 11 Connecticut residents contracted West Nile. Mosquitoes that tested positive for the West Nile virus were caught in 24 towns. Eastern equine encephalitis-positive mosquitoes were caught in one town.